Burch & Cracchiolo's Susanne Ingold is the law firm's first female president in its 54-year history.
By Mignon A. Gould – Associate Editor, Phoenix Business Journal
Mar 27, 2024
Susanne Ingold has been named president of the Burch & Cracchiolo, making her the first female to lead the Valley law firm in its 54-year history.
The litigator has worked for the firm for 26 years, starting immediately out of law school as an associate and rising in the ranks to partner, vice president, and now president. She is also a member of the company’s executive committee.
Ingold is a seasoned trial lawyer, having tried cases in state and federal court. Her practice specializes in all aspects of employment law and she represents employers before the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and the United States Department of Labor.
In her new leadership role at Burch & Cracchiolo — which is ranked No. 2 among the Business Journal’s Largest Phoenix-Area Lobbying Firms — Ingold is primed to make an impact, and she said she has "ginormous shoes to fill," in reference to the presidents before her.
Ingold: Her own brand of leadership
Ingold described wanting to imbue trust and confidence from the executive team and 100-plus employees, including 40 attorneys, while using her own brand of leadership.
“I think my leadership style is on the listening and learning side,” she explained. “My style is to approach things that we address every day versus those that come up sort of on idle Tuesday that we don't expect.”
“Work hard and be nice” is the mantra that she says has been the driving force behind her perseverance through challenging times as she rose through the ranks.
“I know that sounds like super simplistic, but that sort of a mantra has stayed with me, because one of the biggest challenges I have faced is, is really the demands and rigors of practicing law,” she said. “There's a great deal to know, there's a great deal to learn, and there's just a great deal that comes with practicing law.”
But Ingold said that with the challenge comes reward, specifically when working with clients and anticipating their legal needs.
“Those client relationships are integral … they're one of the biggest rewards of the practice of law — our clients and our client relationships,” she added.
Ingold succeeds Andrew Abraham, who has served as president and led the firm since 2017. Abraham remains a senior partner with the firm in a management role on the firm's executive committee.